The following story has occurred over the past several months; in fact, the first siting should have been included in my last installment, only I forgot. It seems to me that this ghost does not want to be forgotten, so I've decided to get on this, even though I've been busy with other things.
We live across the street from a Romanian church, the mass is still given in Romanian. The building itself, I've been told, used to be a barn, so you may imagine that my Catholic friends laugh at this church, but I've always thought it rather charming. I've never been inside, but I walk Shiner around the grounds often.
This story actually begins with a funeral. Several months ago Ron was away on business when I noticed that somebody must have died. I knew it wasn't a typical funeral either, for although the parking lot is expansive, the cars were parked all the way up the entire street. I also saw for sure it was a funeral, as the mourners were all dressed in black. By the looks of the crowds, I only assumed it must have been the priest that died. If not he, I figured it must have been either somebody young or rather very important.
A couple of days later I was walking Shiner when on the very far perimeter of the church property, by what I refer to as the candy house, for its dark and multicolored brick, we walked right up to the shape of a person in a cloud. I've never encountered a ghost quite like this before. It certainly was a puffy cumulus cloud, in the very shape of a person, taller than me. We were right along side of it. It lingered for a few moments then just vanished. It did not slowly dissipate; it was there one moment, gone the next. At the same time, I thought, once again, that it was the priest. I'm not sure why, but since this ghost has been making himself known, I've only just come to the conclusion that what you think at the very instance of encounter about a ghost, is probably correct. This might even be how they make themselves known to you, unless of course, they are tricksters. This ghost, however, is not.
A few nights ago, and several months after this first siting, I was, once again, out with Shiner, only this time, by the church mail box. First, I heard something. I thought I heard somebody walking right near us. Then, I heard something that sounded like great wings, taking off, only this sounded a bit more distant. I thought it could be a big owl, as it was very late, or rather, very early in the morning. But then, I saw him, very quickly, only for an instant, but this time in full color. Shiner seemed to sense something too. He was right by the mail box and was nearly solid, but gone in a flash. I also thought it interesting, if not relevant, that that mail box number is 411, but with the flag down, blocking the 4, it became 111. I only noticed this, just then, as 111 is the number of The Holy Spirit. I also wondered if this was perhaps the priest popping in on Shiner. Shiner always perched in his window and barked at the church goers, but had since recovered from major surgery. He also had his staples removed on 1-11. 111 is also known as the number of completion. Remember, all this time, I did not know that the priest had actually died, it was just a hunch. But, afterwards, I came in and told Ron about what I had seen, and he told me that, yes, indeed, their priest had died.
Since Shiner's surgery, I no longer smoke in the house, as he had a lung removed. Only just tonight, (this morning...), I was out front smoking when I could see a dark shadow in the shape of a person flitting across the church parking lot again. So, I figured that he wanted me to tell you about him. I think he's a very nice ghost, probably the least creepy ghost that I've ever come across.
